Market Harborough, a fine town.

A trip to the end of the Market Harborough Arm proved well worthwhile. Nice moorings, albeit on a bit of a curve in places and if you are feeling flush, six quid a night in the basin, plus electric.

Union Wharf in the early morning mist.

Once the mist has cleared a quick wander and you will find Frank the Plank, no I don't know either.

and look who else lives here, yes, it's a major lair of Canal Time. A useful sanitary station though. Despite having been warned about the major hike into town it turned out to be about ten minutes, even for such aged wrecks as us it isn't far.

Into town, lots of splendid buildings and all in good condition.

The Old Grammer School with, behind left, the municipal offices, formerly a corset factory, honest, it was.

A most imposing church, who was St. Dionysius? Unfortunately the interior has been got at and is about as interesting as the inside of an empty shoe box.

Only interesting thing in there and no explanation as to why it's there.

Lots of local shops and the multis are all tucked out of sight. We even found a bespoke tailor, he specialises in things equestrian so if you need a new set of made to measure pinks for the next hunt, he's your man.

Foxton Locks. A perambulation.

We had our stroll around Foxton Locks this morning.

The bottom of the locks before the rush starts, once the queue builds up it can get quite hairy.

Not many places where there are still side ponds that actually work, BW's attitude seems to be that they are far to complicated for such simple people as boaters, well I can see their point.

Locks, side ponds, which paddle is it next?

Was it red before white, or t'other way round? I suppose we'll find out when we attempt it, but not until after Market Harborough.

Things warming up nicely at the bottom of the locks,

and if you want gongoozlers.

The inclined plane with a goodly bit of Leicestershire in the background.

More of the boat lift, it would be nice to think it would be restored one day, here's hoping.

And here is a little gnome with his newly refurbished split cane Avon rod, well done Steve, it's top notch. If anyone is interested, I never had a bite all afternoon.

Noah Strikes Back.

Yesterday was Kilby Bridge to Smeeton Aquaduct and a totally rural mooring. As far as the boys were concerned

Saddington Tunnel was the highlight of the day, they are sure they saw a bat in there. After mooring it was out fishing gear and off we went, result,

Noah, two roach.

Grampy and Jonah tied on nothing each so over the weekend Jonah caught the most but Noah caught the heaviest so I declare it a draw with Grampy nowhere.

Today was on to the mayhem that is Foxton Locks and eventually a mooring on the Market Harborough Arm.Cairstine arrived to collect her offspring and after a stroll up the locks we lunched in the Navigation, most pleasant,

especially as Cairstine paid.

Tomorrow an exploration of the boat lift looks to be in order.

Leicester farewell and a mighty fish.

On our way by 0800. In company with Mike and Chris on narrowboat Isis we crept through the southern environs of Leicester, escaping without having been robbed, beaten or ravished what a let down!

South of Aylestone Mill Lock the river narrowed and started to wind, the foliage closed in until I started to think I had taken a wrong turning and was heading up some long lost tributary to who knows where, but at last Kings Lock hove into view and we emerged unscathed.

Above Bush Lock the local humorists had slipped the mooring lines of a widebeam B.W. dredger and tug which had drifted diagonally across the cut. With a little careful towing by Isis and a lot of poleing, rope hauling and immoderate language we got them secured and we could get the boats past, needless to say it chose that time to chuck it down, such fun. Jill now has a large bruise and lump on her forehead thanks to some careless pole waving by myself, popularity rating currently zero.

Now at Kilby Bridge, at last the boys got some fishing: Jonah four gudgeon, Grampy one roach and two gudgeon and poor old Noah one gudgeon.

Jonah proudly displays the first fish of the day.

Leicester.

Approaching Leicester this over inflated bouncy castle comes into view actually it is the National Space Centre and I shouldn't be rude about it as I have never visited it, but it still looks like the Michelin man writ large.

Once you get into Leicester,

and it is not an unpleasant approach, there is much to see. The indoor market is amazing, claimed to be the largest in Europe, but the Corn Exchange

is now a Wetherspoons, but then what isn't?

The Cathedral is next door to

the Guildhall, Jill, Noah and Jonah fail to pose properly, amateurs.

Inside the Guildhall is quite impressive

and the striking clock in the courtyard is rather twee.

Castle House

and what appears to be the last bit of the old castle walls, just up from the pontoon mooring at Castle Park Gardens. At the moment there are four boats on the pontoon and another two breasted up to them, quite snug really. Tomorrow there is a fete, or something of that ilk, in the park so we all have to be gone by 0900 as they want the pontoon for boat trips, oh well.

Oh, and so far we have not been subject to any form of criminal abuse.

The flood recedes.

Well the grandsons were delivered to us today, still at Hope and Anchor but the levels are dropping quite nicely so tomorrow we intend moving down to Castle Park in Leicester and having a look at the city and seeing if all the horror stories are true, hoping that like most of the "Oh you can't moor there you will get ..............."(Space to fit whichever violent crime springs to mind) the alleged dangers rely more on a heated imagination than on reality. In the past we have even been told it's not safe to moor in Gas Street, oh well, I suppose if the rumours persist it means less trouble finding a mooring. Kids now tucked up in OUR bed and we are relegated to the dinette, damn silly idea, in my young day we..................

Rising Water

Still at the Hope and Anchor, after twenty four hours of continuous summer weather (the rain is slightly warmer) the river is now hurtling past, not the slightest chance of moving. It has risen a good foot in the last twelve hours, luckily the bank here is fairly high and we are tied to bollards, still got eighteen inches to go before it goes over the bank.

We really picked the wrong week to venture onto the Soar.